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every muscle and nerve will be under control, because the
organs are the centres of all the senstations, and of all actions.
These organs are divided into organs of work and organs of
sensation. When the organs are controlled the Yogi can
control all feeling and doing; the whole of the body will be
under his control. Then alone one begins to feel joy in being
born; then one can truthfully say, “Blessed am I that I was
born. “ When that control of the organs is obtained, we feel
how wonderful this body really is².
²There are 55 sutras in many versions of Patanjali Yoga Sutra. The 55th
Sutra is ततः परमा वश्यतेन्द्रियाणाम् ॥५५॥ “Pratyahara results in the absolute
control of the sense organs”. Swami Vivekananda has not commented
upon this sutra
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CHAPTER III – VIBHOOTI PADA
THE CHAPTER OF POWERS
॥ तृतीयः विभूतिपादः ॥
We have now come to the chapter which is called the Chapter
of Powers.

1. देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा ॥ १॥
   deshabandhashchittasya dharana
   Dharana is holding the mind on to some particular
   object.
   Dharana (concentration) is when the mind holds on to some
   object, either in the body, or outside the body, and keeps itself
   in that state.
2. तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम् ॥ २॥
   tatra pratyayaikatanata dhyanam
   An unbroken flow of knowledge to that object is
   Dhyana.
   The mind tries to think of one object, to hold itself to one
   particular spot, as the top of the head, the heart, etc., and if the
   mind succeeds in receiving the sensations only through that
   part of the body, and through no other part, that would be
   Dharana, and when the mind succeeds in keeping itself in
   that state for some time it is called Dhyana (meditation).
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3. तद् एवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यम् इव समाधिः ॥ ३॥
tad evarthamatranirbhasan svaroopashoonyam iva
samadhih
When that, giving up all forms, reflects only the
meaning, it is Samadhi.
That is, when in meditation all forms are given up. Suppose I
were meditating on a book, and that I have gradually
succeeded in concentrating the mind on it, and perceiving
only the internal sensations, the meaning, unexpressed in any
form, that state of Dhyana is called Samadhi.
4. त्रयम् एकत्र संयमः ॥ ४॥
trayam ekatra sanyamah
(These) three (when practised) in regard to one object
is Samyama.
When a man can direct his mind to any particular object and
fix it there, and then keep it there for a long time, separating
the object from the internal part, this is Samyama; or
Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, one following the other,
and making one. The form of the thing has vanished, and only
its meaning remains in the mind.
5. तज्जयात् प्रज्ञाऽऽलोकः ॥ ५॥
tajjayat prajnaalokah
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By the conquest of that comes light of knowledge.
When one has succeeded in making this Samyama, all powers
come under his control. This is the great instrument of the
Yogi. The object of knowledge are infinite, and they are
divided into the gross, grosser, grossest, and the fine, finer,
finest, and so on. This Samyama should be first applied to
gross things, when when you begin to get knowledge of the
gross, slowly, by stages, it should be brought to finer things.
6. तस्य भूमिषु विनियोगः ॥ ६॥
tasya bhoomishu viniyogah
That should be employed in stages. This is a note of
warning not to attempt to go too fast.
7. त्रयम् अन्तरङ्गं पूर्वेभ्यः ॥ ७॥
trayam antaranggan poorvebhyah
These three are nearer than those that precede.
Before these we had the Pranayama, the Asana, the Yama
and Niyama; these are external parts of these three—
Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Yet these latter even are
external to the seedless Samadhi. When a man has attained to
them he may attain to omniscience and omnipresence, but that
would not be salvation. These three would not make the mind
Nirvikalpa, changeless, but would leave the seeds for getting
bodies again; only when the seeds are, as the Yogi says,
“fried,” do they lose the possibility of producing further
plants. These powers cannot fry the seed.
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8. तदपि बहिरङ्गं निर्बीजस्य ॥ ८॥
tad api bahiranggan nirbijasy
But even they are external to the seedless (Samadhi).
Compared with that seedless Samadhi, therefore, even these
are external. We have not yet reached the real Samadhi, the
highest, but to a lower stage, in which this universe still exists
as we see it, and in which are all these power.
9. व्युत्थाननिरोधसंस्कारयोरभिभवप्रादुर्भावौ निरोधक्षणचित्तान्वयो
निरोधपरिणामः ॥ ९॥
vyutthananirodhasanskarayorabhibhava-
pradurbhavau nirodhakshannachittanvayo
nirodhaparinamah
By the suppression of the disturbed modifications of
the mind, and by the rise of modifications of control,
the mind is said to attain the controlling
modifications - following the controlling powers of
the mind.
That is to say, in this first state of Samadhi, the modifications
of the mind have been controlled, but not perfectly, because if
they were, there would be no modifications. If there is a
modification which impels the mind to rush out through the
senses, and the Yogi tries to control it, that very control itself
will be a modification. One wave will be checked by another
wave, so it will not be real Samadhi, when all the waves have
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subsided, as control itself will be a wave. Yet this lower
Samadhi is very much nearer to the higher Samadhi than
when the mind comes bubbling out.
10. तस्य प्रशान्तवाहिता संस्कारात् ॥ १०॥
tasya prashantavahita sanskarat
Its flow becomes steady by habit.
The flow of this continuous control of the mind becomes
steady when practices day after day and the mind obtains the
faculty of constant concentration.
11. सर्वार्थतैकाग्रतयोः क्षयोदयौ चित्तस्य समाधिपरिणामः ॥ ११॥
sarvarthataikagratayoh kshayodayau chittasya
samadhiparinamah
Taking in all sorts of objects and concentrating upon
one object, these two powers being destroyed and
manifested respectively, the Chitta gets the modifi-
cation called Samadhi.
The mind is taking up various objects, running into all sorts of
things and then there is a higher state of the mind, when it
takes up one object and excludes all others. Samadhi is the
result of that.
12. ततः पुनः शान्तोदितौ तुल्यप्रत्ययौ चित्तस्यैकाग्रतापरिणामः ॥ १२॥
tatah punah shantoditau tulyapratyayau
chittasyaikagrataparinamah
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The one-pointedness of the Chitta is when it grasps in
one, the past and present.
How are we to know that the mind has become concentrated?
Because time will vanish. The more time vanishes the more
concentrated we are. In common life we see that when were
are interested in a book we do not note the time at all, and
when we leave the book we are often surprised to find how
many hours have passed. All time will have the tendency to
come and stand in the one present. So the definition is given,
when the past and present come and stand in one, the more
concentrated the mind.
13. एतेन भूतेन्द्रियेषु धर्मलक्षणावस्थापरिणामा व्याख्याताः ॥ १३ ॥
etena bhootendriyeshu dharmalakshanavastha
parinama vyakhyatah
By this is explained the threefold transformations of
form, time and state, in fine or gross matter, and in the
organs.
By this the threefold changes in the mind-stuff as to form,
time, and state are explained. The mind-stuff is changing into
Vrttis, this is change as to form. To be able to hold the changes
to the present time is change as to time. To be able to make
the mind-stuff go to the past forms giving up the present even,
is change as to state. The concentrations taught in the
preceding aphorisms were to give the Yogi a voluntary control
over the transformations of his mind-stuff which alone will
enable him to make the Samyama before named.
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14. शान्तोदिताव्यपदेश्यधर्मानुपाती धर्मी ॥१४॥
shantoditavyapadeshyadharmanupati dharmi
That which is acted upon by transformations, either
past, present or yet to be manifested, is the qualified.
That is to say, the qualified is the substance which is being
acted upon by time and by the Samskaras, and getting
changed and being manifested all the time.
15. क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुः ॥१५॥
kramanyatvan parinamanyatve hetuh
The succession of changes is the cause of manifold
evolution.
16. परिणामत्रयसंयमादतीतानागतज्ञानम् ॥१६॥
parinamatrayasanyamadatitanagatajnanam
By making Samyama on the three sorts of changes
comes the knowledge of past and future.
We must not lose sight of the first definition of Samyama.
When the mind has attained to that state when it identifies
itself with the internal impression of the object, leaving the
external, and when, by long practice, that is retained by the
mind, and the mind can get into that state in a moment, that is
Samyama. If a man in that state wants to know the past and
future he has to make a Samyama on the changes in the
Samskaras. Some are working now at present, some have
worked out, and some are waiting to work; so by making a
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Samyama on these he knows the past and future.
17. शब्दार्थप्रत्ययानाम् इतरेतराध्यासात् संकरःतत्प्रविभागसंयमात्
सर्वभूतरुतज्ञानम् ॥ १७॥
shabdarthapratyayanam itaretaradhyasat sankarah
tatpravibhagasanyamat sarvabhootarutajnanam
By making Samyama on word, meaning, and
knowledge, which are ordinarily confused, comes the
knowledge of all animal sounds.
The word represents the external cause, the meaning
represents the internal vibration that travels to the brain
through the channels of the Indriyas, conveying the external
impression to the mind, and knowledge represents the
reaction of the mind, with which comes perception. These
three confused, make our sense objects. Suppose I hear a
word; there is first the external vibration, next the internal
sensation carried to the mind by the organ of hearing, then the
mind reacts, and I know the word. The word I know is a
mixture of the three, vibration, sensation, and reaction.
Ordinarily these three are inseperable; but by practice the
Yogi can separate them. When a man has attained to this, if he
makes a Samyama on any sound, he understands the meaning
which that sound was intended to express, whether it was
made by man or by any other animal.
18. संस्कारसाक्षत्करणात् पूर्वजातिज्ञानम् ॥ १८ ॥
sanskarasakshatkaranat poorvajatijnanam
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By perceiving the impressions, knowledge of past
life.
Each experience that we have comes in the form of a wave in
the Chitta, and this subsides and becomes finer and finer, but
is never lost. It remains there in minute form, and if we can
bring this wave up again, it becomes memory. So, if the Yogi
can make a Samyama on these past impressions in the mind,
he will begin to remember all his past lives.
19. प्रत्ययस्य परचित्तज्ञानम् ॥ १९॥
pratyayasy parachittajnanam
By making Samyama on the signs in another's both
knowledge of that mind comes.
Suppose each man has particular signs on his body, which
differentiate him from others; when the Yogi makes a
Samyama on these signs peculiar to a certain man he knows
the nature of the mind of that person.
20. न च तत् सालम्बनं,तस्याविषयीभूतत्वात् ॥२०॥
na cha tat salambanan,tasyavishayibhootatvat
But not its contents, that not being the object of the
Samyama.
He would not know the contents of the mind by making a
Samyama on the body. There would be required a twofold
Samyama, first on the signs in the body, and then on the mind
itself. The Yogi would then know everything that is in that
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mind, past, present, and future.
21. कायरूपसंयमात् तद्ग्राह्यशक्तिस्तम्भे
चक्षुःप्रकाशासंप्रयोगेऽन्तर्धानम् ॥२१॥
kayaroopasanyamat tadgrahyashaktistambhe
chakshuhprakashasanprayogentardhanam
By making Samyama on the form of the body the
power of perceiving forms being obstructed, the
power of manifestation in the eye being separated, the
Yogi's body becomes unseen.
A Yogi standing in the midst of this room can apparently
vanish. He does not really vanish, but he will not be seen by
anyone. The form and the body are, as it were, separated. You
must remember that this can only be done when the Yogi has
attained to that power of concentration when form and the
thing formed have been separated. Then he makes a Samyama
on that, and the power to perceive forms is obstructed,
because the power of perceiving forms comes from the
junction of form and the thing formed.
22. एतेन शब्दाद्यन्तर्धानमुक्तम् ॥२२॥
etena shabdadyantardhanamuktam
By this the disappearance or concealment of words
which are being spoken is also explained.
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23. सोपक्रमं निरुपक्रमं च कर्म तत्संयमाद् अपरान्तज्ञानम्,
अरिष्टेभ्यो वा ॥२३॥
sopakraman nirupakraman cha karma tatsanyamad
aparantajnanam,arishtebhyo va
Karma is of two kinds, soon to be fructified, and late
to be fructified. By making Samyama on that, or by
the signs called Aristha, portents, the Yogis know the
exact time of separation from their bodies.
When the Yogi makes a Samyama on his own Karma, upon
those impressions in his mind which are now working, and
those which are just waiting to work, he knows exactly by
those that are waiting when his body will fall. He knows when
he will die, at what hour, even at what minute. The Hindus
think very much of that knowledge or consciousness of the
nearness of death, because it is taught in the Gita that the
thoughts at the moment of departure are great powers in
determining the next life.
24. मैत्र्यादिषु बलानि ॥२४॥
maitryadishu balani
By making Samyama on friendship, etc., various
strength comes.
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25. बलेषु हस्तिबलादीनि ॥२५॥
baleshu hastibaladini
By making Samyama on the strength of the elephant,
etc., that strength comes to the Yogi.
When a Yogi has attained to this Samyama and wants strength,
he makes a Samyama on the strength of the elephant, and gets
it. Infinite energy is at the disposal of everyone, if he only
knows how to get it. The Yogi has discovered the science of
getting it.
26. प्रवृत्त्यालोकन्यासात् सूक्ष्मव्यवहितविप्रकृष्टज्ञानम् ॥२६॥
pravrittyalokanyasat sookshmavyavahita-
viprakrishtajnanam
By making Samyama on that effulgent light comes
the knowledge of the fine, the obstructed, and the
remote.
When the Yogi makes Samyama on that effulgent light in the
heart he sees things which are very remote, things, for
instance, that are happening in a distant place, and which are
obstructed by mountain barriers and also things which are
very fine.
27. भुवनज्ञानं सूर्ये संयमात् ॥२७॥
bhuvanajnanan soorye sanyamat
By making Samyama on the sun, (comes) the
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knowledge of the world.
28. चन्द्रे ताराव्यूहज्ञानम् ॥ २८॥
chandre taravyoohajnanam
On the moon, (comes) the knowledge of the cluster of
stars.
29. ध्रुवे तद्गतिज्ञानम् ॥ २९॥
dhruve tadgatijnanam
On the pole star (comes) the knowledge of the
motions of the stars.
30. नाभिचक्रे कायव्यूहज्ञानम् ॥ ३०॥
nabhichakre kayavyoohajnanam
On the navel circle (comes) the knowledge of the
constitution of the body.
31. कण्ठकूपे क्षुत्पिपासानिवृत्तिः ॥३१॥
kanthakoope kshutpipasanivrittih
On the hollow of the throat (comes) cessation of
hunger.
When a man is very hungry, if he can make Samyama on the
pit of the throat hunger ceases.
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32. कूर्मनाड्यां स्थैर्यम् ॥ ३२ ॥
koormanadyan sthairyam
On the nerve called Kurma (comes) fixity of the
body.
When he is practising the body is not disturbed.
33. मूर्धज्योतिषि सिद्धदर्शनम् ॥ ३३ ॥
moordhajyotishi siddhadarshanam
On the light emanating from the top of the head sight
of the Siddhas.
The Siddhas are beings who are a little above ghosts. When
the Yogi concentrates his mind on the sop of his head he will
see these Siddhas. The word Siddha does not refer to those
men who have become free—a sense in which it is often used.
34. प्रातिभाद् वा सर्वम् ॥ ३४ ॥
pratibhad va sarvam
Or by the power of Pratibha all knowledge.
All these can come without any Samyama to the man who has
the power of Pratibha (enlightenment from purity). This is
when a man has risen to a high state of Pratibha; then he has
that great light. All things are apparent to him. Everything
comes to him naturally, without making Samyama on
anything.
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35. हृदये चित्तसंवित् ॥ ३५॥
hridaye chittasanvit
In the heart, knowledge of minds.
36. सत्त्वपुरुषयोरत्यन्तासंकीर्णयोः प्रत्ययाविशेषो भोगः
परार्थत्वात् स्वार्थसंयमात् पुरुषज्ञानम् ॥ ३६ ॥
sattvapurushayoratyantasankeernnayoh
pratyayavishesho bhogah pararthatvat
svarthasanyamat purushajnanam
Enjoyment comes by the non-discrimination of the
very distant soul and Sattva. Its actions are for
another; Samyama on this gives knowledge of the
Purusa.
This power of non-attachment acquired through purity gives
the Yogi the enlightenment called Pratibha.
37. ततः प्रातिभश्रावणवेदनादर्शास्वादवार्ता जायन्ते ॥ ३७ ॥
tatah pratibhashravannavedanadarshasvadavarta
jayante
From that arises the knowledge of hearing, touching,
seeing, tasting, and smelling, belonging to Pratibha.
38. ते समाधावुपसर्गा व्युत्थाने सिद्धयः ॥ ३८ ॥
te samadhavupasargaa vyutthane siddhayah
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These are obstacles to Samadhi; but they are powers
in the worldly state.
If the Yogi knows all these enjoyments of the world it comes
by the junction of the Purusa and the mind. If he wants to
make Samyama on this, that they are two different things,
nature and soul, he gets knowledge of the Purusa. From that
arises discrimination. When he has got that discrimination he
gets the Pratibha, the light of supreme genius. These
powers, however, are obstructions to the attainment of the
highest goal, the knowledge of the pure Self, and freedom;
these are, as it were, to be met in the way, and if the Yogi
rejects them, he attains the highest. If he is tempted to acquire
these, his farther progress is barred.
39. बन्धकारणशैथिल्यात् प्रचारसंवेदनाच्च चित्तस्य परशरीरावेशः ॥ ३९ ॥
bandhakarannashaithilyat pracharasanvedanach ch
chittasya parashariraveshah
When the cause of bondage has become loosened, the
Yogi, by his knowledge of manifestation through the
organs, enters another’s body.
The Yogi can enter a dead body, and make it get up and move,
even while he himself is working in another body. Or he can
enter a living body, and hold that man’s mind and organs in
check, and for the time being act through the body of that
man. That is done by the Yogi coming to this discrimination of
Purusa and nature. If he wants to enter another’s body he
makes a Samyama on that body and enters it, because, not
only is his Soul omnipresent, but his mind also, according to
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the Yogi. It is one bit of the universal mind. Now, however, it
can only work through the nerve currents in this body, but
when the Yogi has loosened himself from these nerve
currents, he will be able to work through other things.
40. उदानजयाज्जलपङ्ककण्टकादिष्वसङ्ग उत्क्रान्तिश्च ॥४०॥
udanajayajjalapangkakantakadishvasangg
utkrantishch
By conquering the current called Udana the Yogi
does not sink in water, or in swamps, and he can walk
on thorns.
Udana is the name of the nerve current that governs the lungs,
and all the upper parts of the body, and when he is master of it
he becomes light in weight. He cannot sink in water; he can
walk on thorns and sword baldes, and stand in fire, and so on.
41. समानजयात् प्रज्वलनम् ॥४१॥
samanajayat prajvalanam
By the conquest of the current Samana he is
surrounded by blaze.
Whenever he likes light flashes from his body.
42. श्रोत्राकाशयोः संबन्धसंयमाद् दिव्यं श्रोत्रम् ॥४२॥
shrotrakashayoh sanbandhasanyamad divyan
shrotram
By making Samyama on the relation between the ear
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and the Akasa comes divine hearing.
There is the Akasa, the ether, and the instrument, the ear. By
making Samyama on them the Yogi gets divine hearing; he
hears everything. Anything spoken or sounded miles away he
can here.
43. कायाकाशयोः संबन्धसंयमाल् लघुतूलसमापत्तेश्चाकाशगमनम् ॥४३॥
kayakashayoh sanbandhasanyamal
aghutoolasamapatteshchakashagamanam
By making Samyama on the relation between the
Akasa and the body the Yogi becoming light as cotton
wool goes through the skies.
This Akasa is the material of this body; it is only Akasa in a
certain form that has become the body. If the Yogi makes
Samyama on this Akasa material of his body, it acquires the
lightness of Akasa, and can go anywhere through the air.
44. बहिरकल्पिता वृत्तिर्महाविदेहा . ततः प्रकाशावरणक्षयः ॥४४॥
bahirakalpita vrittirmahavideha tatah
prakashavarannakshayah
By making Samyama on the real modifications of the
mind, which are outside, called great disembodiness,
comes disappearance of the covering to light.
The mind in its foolishness thinks that it is working in this
body. Why should I be bound by one system of nerves, and
put the Ego only in one body, if the mind is omnipresent?
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There is no reason why I should. The Yogi wants to feel the
Ego wherever he likes. When he has succeeded in that all
covering to light goes away, and all darkness and ignorance
vanish. Everything appear to him to be full of knowledge.
45. स्थूलस्वरूपसूक्ष्मान्वयार्थवत्त्वसंयमाद्भूतजयः ॥४५॥
sthoolasvaroopasookshmanvayarthavattva
samyamadbhootajayah
By making Samyama on the elements, beginning with
the gross, and ending with the superfine, comes
mastery of the elements.
The Yogi make Samyama on the elements, first on the gross,
and then on the finer states. This Samyama is taken up more
by a sect of the Buddhists. They take a lump of clay, and make
Samyama on that, and gradually they begin to see the fine
materials of which is is composed, and when they have known
all the fine materials in it, they get power over that element.
So with all the elements, the Yogi can conquer them all.
46. ततोऽणिमादिप्रादुर्भावः कायसंपत् तद्धर्मानभिघातश्च ॥४६॥
tatoanimadipradurbhavah kayasanpat
taddharmanabhighatashch
From that comes minuteness, and the rest of the
powers, "glorification of the body," and
indestructibleness of the bodily qualities.
This means that the Yogi has attained the eight powers. He can
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